30 October, 2011

The Irish Funeral

man was leaving a convenience store with his morning coffee when he noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery. A black hearse was followed by a second black hearse about 50 feet behind the first one. Behind the second hearse was a solitary man walking a dog on a leash. Behind him, a short distance back, were about 200 men walking single file.

The man couldn't stand the curiosity. He respectfully approached the man walking the dog and said, "I am so sorry for your loss, and although this may be a bad time to disturb you, I've never seen a funeral like this. Whose funeral is it?"

"My wife's," came the response.

"What happened to her?"

"She yelled at me, and my dog attacked. Killed her."

Then a further inquiry,"But who is in the second hearse?" The man answered, "My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my wife when the dog turned on her."

A very poignant and touching moment of brotherhood and silence passed between the two men.